Bob's Burgers (Chad Brewster, Jeff Drake, Justin Hook, Rachel Hastings and Mike Olsen)

Release Date: April 7th 2015 

Synopsis:  
Now you can read about the Belcher family (parents Bob and Linda, and their children Tina, Gene and Louise) with brand-new in-canon stories created by the TV show's producers, writers, and animators!
That's right, all-original stories that expand upon the fan-favorite animated series, including hilarious installments of "Louise's Unsolved Mysteries", "Tina's Erotic Friend Fiction", "A Gene Belcher Original Musical", "Letters Written by Linda", "Bob's Burgers of the Day", and much more!

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review. 
I need to point out, first and foremost, that I am a huge fan of the show. It's absolutely ridiculous, hilarious and kind of my life story in some twisted, horrific and absurd alternate universe. And that's exactly what this was, expect even more awesome because I could just go back and just admire those glorious and priceless panels.
Each character had their own little story and felt them every time, I could actually hear their voices, like they were telling me what was happening. They were so well portrayed - those illustrations were just stunning, almost moving like in the show. This entire volume is an explosion of color and rhythm that would appeal, in my opinion, to fans of the show and newbies alike.
I was laughing the entire time and I would, without hesitation, reread it anytime I felt sad or down, because the writers and animators of Bob's Burgers never fail to bring a smile on my face.
Absolutely recommend this to anyone who just wants to have a laugh and read something incredibly silly in the best way possible.

Hurt Patrol (Mary McKinley)

Release Date: March 31st 2015

Synopsis:

Give me your nerds, your freaks, your huddled outcasts yearning to breathe free. Stick them in Boy Scout uniforms and you’ll have the Hurt Patrol—a sorry bunch of teen rejects who will never make Eagle.

Welcome to the club

Beau has been scouting since first grade. Not because he loves it, but because his dad does. It’s the only thing they’ve ever bonded over, what with Beau’s dad being into sports, beer, and brawling. So when they move to yet another Midwest town, Beau expects the usual Boy Scout experience, filled with horribleness and insults. Instead he finds something else entirely. Kicked out of every other patrol, their little band of brothers is equal parts nuts and awesome. For the first time, people are watching Beau’s back instead of throwing things at it. Nice. Novel. And also necessary, when you’re dealing with parents splitting up, crushes, first love, and coming out.
The first—and only—rule of Hurt Patrol: We are never going to win—but if you’re outcast elsewhere, you’ll do just fine here.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review.
I requested this book as soon as I read the word 'Scout' in the synopsis. I don't think I have ever read a book about Scouts, at least not one that sticks with you as much as this one does.
From the very first page I was completely invested and in love with the characters. They felt so real to me, especially Beau, the main character whose story we follow. He is incredibly flawed and perfect in the best way, one of the most amazing and honest characters I have ever read about. His personality is so sweet and just the idea of him breaks your heart, but, by the end, glues it back into one piece (almost). I loved seeing his growth and development that was surprisingly grand given the size of this story. All the other characters had their own quirks and Mary Mckinley did an amazing job with each one, making us love them and loathe them in equal mesure. Not to mention that his relationship with his parents was one of the most heartbreaking parts of the book, right next to the one with Pete and Jewels, his best friends at the time of the narrative. These parts broke my heart over and over and I didn't even mind.
The story was beautiful and funny and writen with just the right amout of wit and humour to hook you until the end. Like I mentioned, the Scouts plot line was a pretty main one and was astonishingly dealt with. Not only did I learn a lot about the Boy Scouts of America, but also created an emotional connection with everything attached to them. It oppened the doors for wonderful character growth and internal change and discovery. This relates to Beau's realization of his true sexuality and what comes after that, which makes of The Hurt Patrol one of the best coming out books of my reading experiences.
I really adored Mary Mckinley's storytelling style, so I will absolutely try to get my hands on her other books, particularly Rusty Summer and Beau, Lee, The Bomb, and Me, as I reckon there is still a lot to this little story to be told - and I need to know it.
A must read for YA contemporary fans and Scouts all over the world.

While the Gods Were Sleeping (Erwin Mortier, Paul Vincent - Translation)

Synopsis:
While the Gods Were Sleeping is a novel about the magnitude and impact of the First World War, the recollections of which are recorded in the notebooks of the elderly Helena. The young Helena is sent to her uncle’s country house before the war, and from here she witnesses scenes of indescribable horror. But it is also where she meets Matthew again, a British Army photographer who she goes on to marry. This is a story not about spectacular events; rather, Mortier is concerned with writing about war, history and the past with great empathy and engagement, and with a mixture of melancholy, qualification and resignation.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review.
While the Gods Were Sleeping was probably the most beautifully written book I have ever read. But I am not going to lie, I had to really push myself to finish this.
Like I mentioned, Erwin Mortier's writing style was absolutely lyrical and delicate, yet, at the same time, hypnotizing, poignant and powerful. In this book the author was able to portray the war and its effects and consequences on the people who lived it through the voice of an elderly woman. There were passages and quotes in this book that we could say today to convey the horrors and wonders of this time. I have to acclaim the translator who worked on this project and was able to translate it and still keep the original song Mortier created.
Helena was more fascinating with every word and the people she described, revolving around her and her story, were some of the most real and intriguing set of characters I have seen in a long time. They were all incredibly complex and tortured in their own ways.
However, the biggest problem I had with this book was its story. I feel that if this had been executed differently it could have been an instant classic. I just think there are parts that seemed to drag, like they were undoubtedly necessary but didn't feel like it. Also, or maybe because of that, it was hard to keep up. It jumped around a lot between times and it was easy to get lost, especially in a book of this nature that isn't completely memorable. I must admit that the smaller plotlines didn't stick with me as much and I honestly skim-read though a few parts. I was almost painful at times how slowly the plot moved, but I also believe that it was just part of the book and that if I had read it at a different time in different circumstances I would have enjoyed it a whole lot more.
This is definitely not for everyone. Fans of detailed and magically written Historical Fiction will love While the Gods Were Sleeping, so I would absolutely recommend giving it a try. There is something truly tragic and magical about this book that needs to be spread through the world, and First World War novels are, surely, incredibly proud of this one.

Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea (Adam Roberts, Mahendra Singh - Illustrator)

Synopsis:
Adam Roberts revisits Jules Verne's classic novel in a collaboration with the illustrator behind a recent highly acclaimed edition of The Hunting of the Snark.
It is 1958 and France's first nuclear submarine, Plongeur, leaves port for the first of its sea trials. On board, gathered together for the first time, are one of the Navy's most experienced captains and a tiny skeleton crew of sailors, engineers, and scientists. The Plongeur makes her first dive and goes down, and down and down. Out of control, the submarine plummets to a depth where the pressure will crush her hull, killing everyone on board, and beyond. The pressure builds, the hull protests, the crew prepare for death, the boat reaches the bottom of the sea and finds nothing. Her final dive continues, the pressure begins to relent, but the depth guage is useless. They have gone miles down. Hundreds of miles, thousands, and so it goes on. Onboard the crew succumb to madness, betrayal, religious mania, and murder. Has the Plongeur left the limits of our world and gone elsewhere?

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review.
Going into this book I was expecting something like a retelling of Jules Verne's 20.000 Leagues Under the Sea, maybe with a modern sci-fi sort of twist. Although I haven't read that book yet, I am pretty sure Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea is nothing like I just described.
Before I start the actual review, I need to address the fact that half-way through the book I discovered Adam Roberts also wrote The Soddit under the name A.R.R.R. Roberts, a parody of The Hobbit that I read last year and extremely enjoyed. The writing was just as intriguing and the story just as weird and gripping. However, in The Soddit the combination of the author's imagination with his wits and strange plotlines created an hilarious and fast-paced story, whereas in Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea it was just odd. That's the best word I can think of. Odd.
First of all, this was a good book. It was good. It definitely didn't blow my mind and the collection of french names was not easy to follow, but there was something about how strange it was that kept me reading on. I honestly wanted to get to the end and know what was causing all those shenanigans.
To me, the story just dragged a little bit, there were moments where it felt like nothing was happening, and I felt there were deaths and violent and gory descriptions that were just a bit unnecessary, like they were there for effect or the eccentric factor.I couldn't like any of the characters. They were all so proud and crazy, always trying to prove themselves and their manly power. In this case, I don't reckon we are supposed to like the characters, but I believe this is a classic example of men in power and how keeping a cool head in extreme situations is impossible to them sometimes and it can lead to war - internal and external. Linked to this is the lack of female characters. I know this is set in 1958 and a woman in a war submarine might have been somehow too much to ask for, but I still wish there had been at least one involved in some way in this project.
Another thing that lowered my rating was how uneven this book felt. For about three fourths of the story it was slow and not too crazy. It was just the crew of the Plongeur falling through a huge body of water without being able to do anything about it (kind of). But there was a point where everything just turned bizarre and freaky. It seemed like two different books and I was completely lost - I had now idea what had just happened and I was like that until the end. The ending only confused me more, to be honest.
Now, I have to admit that there are a lot of redeeming qualities, the most impressive of which is the illustrations. They helped the story a lot. The helped me visualise the extraordinary descriptions that were almost impossible to imagine. They were mysterious and wonderful and a beautiful and awesome addition to the book.
I definitely recommend giving this a try, because I feel that this isn't for everyone. I was still very entertained and will absolutely read more books by Adam Roberts if I get the chance.

Beat the Turtle Drum (Constance C. Greene)

Synopsis:
An ALA Notable Book and an IRA-CBC Children’s Choice: Losing your sister can mean losing your best friend too
Thirteen-year-old Kate is thrilled for her sister, Joss, when Joss finds out she gets to keep a horse for a week as a birthday present.
Then in one tragic moment, all of the happiness is gone, and numbness and grief overwhelm the family. Kate cannot imagine how she’ll survive but knows somehow she must come to terms with her loss. In this heart-wrenching story, Kate strives to find a place where joyful memories and painful loss can coexist.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review.
I must say that I was immediately sold on the synopsis of this book. I sounded like the quick, emotional read I needed. And although it wasn't exactly like I expected it to be, Beat the Turtle Drum was, in fact, an extremely beautiful and moving book.
Overall, the story was interesting and I loved seeing such a wonderfully close sister relationship like Kate and Joss's. We got to know them through the course of the months that preceded the turning point. You can pretty much guess what happens from the synopsis, but when it comes, it hits you like a brick wall, especially if you have a sibling yourself and you can't imagine what you would do if it happened to them. In that sense, it was an heart wrenching tale that definitely stays with you for a long time.
However, I felt that there was nothing new besides what we can deduce from the synopsis and kind of changes the experience, had I not read it before. Nevertheless the writing brough something new to the book and keeps you reading on. There is so much to say, even if we already know it, no matter the size of this small story.
I really adored this book and I honestly believe that it probably would have been one of my favourite books had I read it when I was younger. I recommend this to younger kids that want to start reading books that deal with more serious themes and want to discover a new favourite author.